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our possessions across the frontier；＇2＇ and my father left me nothing in
Attica； I must needs bide at home； and provide myself with the necessaries
of life by means of bodily toil； which seems preferable to begging from
another； especially as I have no security on which to raise a loan。
＇1＇ Lit。 〃from here。〃 The conversation perhaps takes place in Piraeus
404 B。C。
＇2＇ Or； 〃colonial possession。〃 Cf。 〃Symp。〃 iv。 31。
Soc。 And how long do you expect your body to be equal to providing
the necessaries of life for hire？
Euth。 Goodness knows； Socratesnot for long。
Soc。 And when you find yourself an old man； expenses will not
diminish； and yet no one will care to pay you for the labour of your hands。
Euth。 That is true。
Soc。 Would it not be better then to apply yourself at once to such work
as will stand you in good stead when you are oldthat is； address yourself
to some large proprietor who needs an assistant in managing his estate？＇3＇
By superintending his works； helping to get in his crops； and guarding his
property in general； you will be a benefit to the estate and be benefited in
return。
＇3＇ Cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 VIII。 iii。 48。
I could not endure the yoke of slavery； Socrates！ （he exclaimed）。
Soc。 And yet the heads of departments in a state are not regarded as
adopting the badge of slavery because they manage the public property；
but as having attained a higher degree of freedom rather。
Euth。 In a word； Socrates； the idea of being held to account to another
is not at all to my taste。
Soc。 And yet； Eutherus； it would be hard to find a work which did not
involve some liability to account； in fact it is difficult to do anything
without some mistake or other； and no less difficult； if you should succeed
in doing it immaculately； to escape all unfriendly criticism。 I wonder now
whether you find it easy to get through your present occupations entirely
without reproach。 No？ Let me tell you what you should do。 You should
avoid censorious persons and attach yourself to the considerate and kind…
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hearted； and in all your affairs accept with a good grace what you can and
decline what you feel you cannot do。 Whatever it be； do it heart and soul；
and make it your finest work。＇4＇ There lies the method at once to silence
fault…finders and to minister help to your own difficulties。 Life will flow
smoothly； risks will be diminished； provision against old age secured。
＇4＇ Or； 〃study to make it your finest work； the expression of a real
enthusiasm。〃
IX
At another time； as I am aware； he had heard a remark made by
Crito＇1＇ that life at Athens was no easy matter for a man who wished to
mind his own affairs。
＇1＇ Crito。 See above； I。 ii。 48； Cobet； 〃P。 X。〃； cf。 Plat。 〃Rep。〃 viii。
549 C。
As； for instance； at this moment （Crito proceeded） there are a set of
fellows threatening me with lawsuits； not because they have any
misdemeanour to allege against me； but simply under the conviction that I
will sooner pay a sum of money than be troubled further。
To which Socrates replied： Tell me； Crito； you keep dogs； do you not；
to ward off wolves from your flocks？
Cr。 Certainly； it pays to do so。
Soc。 Then why do you not keep a watchman willing and competent to
ward off this pack of people who seek to injure you？
I should not at all mind （he answered）； if I were not afraid he might
turn again and rend his keeper。
What！ （rejoined Socrates）； do you not see that to gratify a man like
yourself is far pleasanter as a matter of self…interest than to quarrel with
you？ You may be sure there are plenty of people here who will take the
greatest pride in making you their friend。
Accordingly； they sought out Archedemus；＇2＇ a practical man with a
clever tongue in his head＇3＇ but poor； the fact being； he was not the sort to
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make gain by hook or by crook； but a lover of honesty and of too good a
nature himself to make his living as a pettifogger。＇4＇ Crito would then take
the opportunity of times of harvesting and put aside small presents for
Achedemus of corn and oil； or wine； or wool； or any other of the farm
produce forming the staple commodities of life； or he would invite him to
a sacrificial feast； and otherwise pay him marked attention。 Archedemus；
feeling that he had in Crito's house a harbour of refuge； could not make
too much of his patron； and ere long he had hunted up a long list of
iniquities which could be lodged against Crito's pettifogging persecutors
themselves； and not only their numerous crimes but their numerous
enemies； and presently he prosecuted one of them in a public suit； where
sentence would be given against him 〃what to suffer or what to pay。〃＇5＇
The accused； conscious as he was of many rascally deeds； did all he could
to be quit of Archedemus； but Archedemus was not to be got rid of。 He
held on until he had made the informer not only loose his hold of Crito but
pay himself a sum of money； and now that Archedemus had achieved this
and other similar victories； it is easy to guess what followed。＇6＇ It was just
as when some shepherd has got a very good dog； all the other shepherds
wish to lodge their flocks in his neighbourhood that they too may reap the
benefit of him。 So a number of Crito's friends came begging him to allow
Archedemus to be their guardian also； and Archedemus was overjoyed to
do something to gratify Crito； and so it came about that not only Crito
abode in peace； but his friends likewise。 If any of those people with whom
Archedemus was not on the best of terms were disposed to throw it in his
teeth that he accepted his patron's benefits and paid in flatteries； he had a
ready retort： 〃Answer me this questionwhich is the more scandalous； to
accept kindnesses from honest folk and to repay them； with the result that
I make such people my friends but quarrel with knaves； or to make
enemies of honourable gentlemen＇7＇ by attempts to do them wrong； with
the off…chance indeed of winning the friendship of some